This paper approaches the issue of seismic vulnerability assessment strategies for facade walls of traditional
masonry buildings through the development of a methodology and its subsequent application to the old building
stock of the historical city centre of Coimbra. Over 600 building facades were evaluated in accordance to the
methodology developed. From the post-earthquake damage assessment of masonry buildings in Aquila, Italy, it
was developed and calibrated an analytical function to estimate the mean damage grade for masonry facade
walls. Once defined the vulnerability function for facade walls, the calculation of damage scenarios was carried
out and was subsequently used in the development of an emergency planning tool and in the elaboration of an
accessibility routing proposal for the case study – Old city centre of Coimbra
